Squadpainter, in his kind comment yesterday, asked which GW Contrast paints I used when painting my 15mm ECW collection. That sounds like a good excuse for a post, so here’s a list of what I used…

Undercoat: I favour the Grey Seer over the Wraithbone only because I don’t think you get as much show-through on the weaker colours, but I use either dependent on supplies! It’s expensive compared to the car primers from Halfords that I used to use, but does take the Contrast Paints superbly. Pay the extra: it’s worth it.

Note that Contrast Paints are not actually paints, but more glazes. This means that they are comparatively fragile and painted figures really do need a coat of varnish before hitting the table.

Skintones: There are three fleshtones in the range, I use Darkoath Flesh for caucasian skin.

Uniforms & Hats

I used colours from across the entire range. Some of my units are in bright, fancy uniforms; some use more muted colours.

I found the best red to use was Fleshtearers Red; I found the worst green was Militarum Green. Creed Camo is a nice green; and all the greys and blues are lovely. Nazdreg Yellow is a surprising choice, but works very well.

I never really got on with Apothecary White: I generally ended up having to drybrush a standard acrylic white over an Apothecary White to get the effect I wanted. I do know that Apothecary White works really well for larger figures, so maybe it’s just the way I paint 15s that is the problem.

Hodder Grey: the uniform coats of my Scots Covenantors are nearly all Space Wolves Grey, with Ultramarine Blue bonnets. Trousers etc differ.

Jerkins: Aggaros Dunes makes a great colour for the ubiquitous, sleeveless leather jerkin.

Smocks & Leggings: Skeleton Horde makes a good off-white colour for faded linens.

Boots & Shoes: all are Wyldwood.

Equipment

All wood: I use Goregrunta Fur for anything wooden. Pike handles, muskets, limbers etc.

All leather: Snakebite Leather.

Horses

I have two types of standard brown horse. Both use Cygor Brown diluted 50/50 with Technical Contrast Medium. One type of standard brown horse then gets the legs up to the knee, mane and tail painted black; the other just has the mane and tail painted black, with an odd number of standard acrylic white socks and a standard acrylic white star or blaze on the forehead.

Black horses use Black Templar, with a standard acrylic black mane and tail, and then an uneven number of standard acrylic white socks and a standard acrylic white star or blaze on the forehead. Be warned, Black Templar is fairly fragile, and will easily be scraped off, so a little care when handling painted-but-not-yet-varnished horses is required.

Dun horses can be achieved with Aggaras Dunes, with legs up to the knee, mane and tail painted black.

Hopefully that will give you a head start on which colours to use.

More Deliveries

The story so far: a load of lockdown loot ordered from eight different manufacturers/suppliers last Sunday. On Wednesday, Boontown won the race to be the first to deliver, and on Thursday the ever-reliable Warbases came in second.

Today we can add three more to the list. Yesterday Magister Militum delivered me some more ECW figures from their Hallmark range; and today we have a tie for 4th place with a re-stock in paints from Games Workshop, and the raw lead for my new Classical Indian army from Museum Miniatures.

So far, therefore, we have:

1. Boontown (3 days)

2. Warbases (4 days)

3. Magister Militum (5 days)

4= Games Workshop (6 days)

4= Museum Miniatures (6 days)

Still pretty impressive stuff!